Free The Reeve's Tale by Margaret Frazer

veil.“
     
    And so did his wife, Frevisse judged; but Anne came out then, with a cup for Elena and a stool for herself. As she poured Elena ale after Frevisse refused more, she said, “So. You’ve kept in talk?”
     
    ‘I was about to set to persuading Dame Frevisse that she should put in good word for my husband when the matter of Matthew Woderove’s holding comes up,“ Elena said easily.
     
    ‘Matthew might still come back,“ Anne answered, a little stiffly.
     
    ‘He might,“ Elena allowed. ”But if he doesn’t…“
     
    ‘I think your husband has done Matthew enough harm without being the one to take his holding, too,“ Anne said, more stiffly.
     
    ‘The only person who’s harmed Matthew Woderove is himself,“ Elena said, unangrily but giving no ground.
     
    Anne began an answer but Lucy called from inside and instead she rose with, “I pray you excuse me.”
     
    When she was inside, Elena rose, too, not outwardly bothered, and said smilingly to Frevisse, “I’ll go, too, I think. By your leave.” What could have been regret tinged her smile and voice as she added, “Anne will be more comfortable if I’m not here.”
     
    To Frevisse’s granting she could go, she made a low curtsy of farewell and went, leaving the plate and the remaining cakes on the bench. Anne was in time, coming out, to see her leaving and could have called farewell, or Elena might have looked back and waved, but neither did, and Anne, sitting down on the bench again, said while watching her out of sight, “I’ll say for her she never overstays her welcome.”
     
    Frevisse almost asked how much welcome Elena had ever had but changed to, “Is she freeborn? Your husband said she’s from Banbury.” The nearest market town.
     
    ‘Aye, she’s freeborn. Her father is a baker there, with property and a likelihood of being mayor. What she was thinking of, to marry Gilbey and come here, I don’t know.“ Anne broke off a corner of one of the cakes and crumbled it between her fingers. ”She’s too young for him by far and… well, you’ve seen her. Men can’t help but look at her, and they want to do more than look, too, that’s sure. That Tom Hulcote that works for Gilbey, for one. Gilbey’d do well to watch him.“ It sounded a well-worn theme, with more to be said about it, just as with Matthew Woderove’s wife, but Anne broke off, turning a little pink across the cheeks, probably at such tale-telling to a nun, and changed course with, ”It’s that Gilbey’s not given to doing fool things. It was years since his first wife and their daughter died, and he seemed content enough. Then, next thing we knew, he’d married her and built a bigger house and started a family all over again. At his age! What was either of them thinking?“
     
    ‘There’s children then?“
     
    ‘Oh, yes. Two sweet little boys.“
     
    ‘Are they villein or free?“
     
    ‘Free. When she nears her birthing time, Elena goes to Gilbey’s sister. She bought herself free years ago and married and lives in Banbury. Both boys were born there.“
     
    And so were free, like their mother, instead of villein like their father.
     
    ‘Gilbey isn’t well liked, is he?“ Frevisse asked.
     
    Anne sniffed. “He’s too lucky, making money at everything he turns his hand to, and keeps what he has to himself, no fear, while letting you know he has it.” She waxed openly indignant. “You know he bought a lease away from Matthew Woderove this past Midsummer’s court? It’s for a stretch of rough pasturage gone to scrub and not worth the bother of clearing it again, everyone thought, but he’s bought half a dozen cows in milk from somewhere and turned them out on it, hired two girls and set them to be his milkmaids, making cheese as fast as can be to sell in Banbury, and the word is that come autumn, he won’t try to overwinter the cows but slaughter them and salt the beef down to sell. You see how he goes about things?”
     
    What